Increasing advances in computer technology (e.g., microprocessor speed, memory capacity, data transfer bandwidth, software functionality . . . ) have generally contributed to increased computer application in various industries. Today, portable hand held terminals users produce and manage large amounts of data or information, as compared to their respective work load in prior years. As such, portable hand held terminals are employed in many different industries, and are typically assembled by enclosing internal electrical components; such as keypads, a central processing unit (CPU) board, display, and internal wiring, within a housing made of plastic or another structural material.
Generally, a desirable characteristic of such terminals is that they can readily function, while a respective user performs other more demanding tasks. For example, a user may find it necessary to operate a data terminal with one hand, while leaving the other hand free. In particular, the user may find it desirable to lift or otherwise shift small items of inventory with one hand, while simultaneously inputting data or scanning them with the portable scanner held in the other hand.
Moreover, when employing the keypad for data input, the user typically should be able to manipulate keys on the keypad with ease and accuracy. Otherwise, the ensuing incompatibility can cause the hand, finger and wrist movements of the user operator to be somewhat strained, slowed, and even sometimes misdirected, resulting in not only unwanted and undesired physical stress on the operator, but also in undesired fatigue with resulting entry errors. The results of such repetitive stress and errors while manipulating the keypad on a portable terminal can cause unwanted loss in time for correcting the errors, as well as a loss in productivity through stress related injuries suffered by the keyboard operator. Such injuries may be severe enough to render the individual unemployable. For example, repetitive stroking of an incompatible keypad can typically stress the wrists, elbows and shoulders of an operator. As stated earlier, when continued over long periods of time, this can lead to repetitive stress injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, which is a painful and oftentimes a crippling ailment affecting the tendons and nerves in the person's wrist area. Moreover, carpal tunnel syndrome is only one of several musculoskeletal injuries, frequently being identified variously as cumulative trauma disorder, repetitive strain injury, as well as repetitive motion disorder.
At the same time there is a continuing desire to reduce size of portable units. Such reduction in size can reduce the space available to the keypad and the associated individual key members. This can further hinder rapid and accurate data manipulation on a keypad interface. In particular, the user/operator should be able to enter information rapidly and accurately, and typically should not be required to undergo extensive and time consuming training in order to use the keypad arrangement for rapid data entry.
Therefore, there is a need to overcome the aforementioned deficiencies associated with conventional devices.